Hearing Date: April 29, 2025
On the 22nd of February 2024, North Cork Co-Operative Creameries Limited pleaded guilty to eight charges of breaching conditions of its Industrial Emissions Licence – P1051-01. Details of the charges are set out below.
On that date, the court heard evidence as to the nature and circumstances of the offences and a plea in mitigation was made on behalf of the defendant company. The matter was adjourned a number of times since then to afford the defendant the opportunity to complete certain mitigation works onsite to control and limit emissions.
The sentencing of the case took place on the 29th of April 2025 at Mallow District Court. Judge King presided.
North Cork Co-Operative Creameries Limited pleaded guilty and were convicted by Judge King on the following charges:
• Failing on or about 19th May 2022 to comply with Condition 5.1, in that emissions to water at emission point reference SW1 exceeded the Emissions Limit Value (ELV) for Ammonia (as N) as set out in Schedule B.2 of the said licence. - Fined €2,000.
• Failing on or about the 19th July 2022 to comply with Condition 5.1, in that emissions to water at emission point reference SW1 exceeded the Emissions Limit Value (ELV) for Total Nitrogen as set out in Schedule B.2 of the said licence. - Fined €2,000.
• Failing on or about the 15th June 2022 to comply with Condition 3.7.4, in that they did fail to ensure that all inlets, outlets, vent pipes, valves and gauges were within the bunded area, namely bund number 66 which had ancillary pipework outside the footprint of the bund. - Fined €2,000.
• Failing on or about the 8th March 2022 to comply with Condition 5.1, in that emissions to air at emission point reference A1-1 exceeded the Emissions Limit Value (ELV) for Nitrogen oxides (as N02) as set out in Schedule B.1 of the said licence. - Fined €3,000.
• Failing on or about 4th October 2022 to comply with Condition 5.1.1, in that contaminated stormwater was emitted from emission point reference SW3. – Fined €2,000
The following charges which were pleaded, were taken into consideration by Judge King:
• Failing on or about the 18th October 2022 to comply with Condition 3.7.2, in that they did fail to ensure that all tank and drum storage were bunded in accordance with the requirements of said condition, in that a condensate tank was stored in an area that was not bunded, either locally or remotely, to a volume not greater than (i) 110% of the capacity of the largest tank or drum within the bunded area; or (ii) 25% of the total volume of substance which could be stored within the bunded area.
• Failing on or about 3rd August 2022 to comply with Condition 5.1, in that emissions to air at emission point reference A1-1 exceeded the Emissions Limit Value (ELV) for Nitrogen oxides (as N02) as set out in Schedule B.1 of the said licence.
• Failing on or about 4th October 2022 to comply with Condition 5.1.1, in that contaminated stormwater was emitted from emission point reference SW8.
Agency costs were also agreed.